Vehicle-body.



M. A. BUOH.

VEHICLE BODY.

APPLICATION FILED APR.7,1913.

1,089,81 7. Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

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WITHESfiES 'IHVEHTOR N. mm W flue/L M. A. BUOH.

VEHICLE BODY.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 7, 1913.

1 ,089,8 1 7., Patented Mar. 10, 191i 3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

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VEHICLE BODY.

TION I PL 4,1913 1,989,817 Patented Mar. 10, 1914,

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A I m W w ifiszfw 3 Q CL Specification of Letters Patent. Patentqgdl Bla r, 110, 1914.

Application filed April 7, ions. Serial no. rsasea.

to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom anying drawings, which form a part c this specification.

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This invention relates to knock down bodies for automobiles or other vehicle and it has for its object a. body of strong and economical construction which may be easily assembled.

Among other features, a novel form of allmetal door: is emplo ed and a novel form of guard and runningoard or step. The construction which I employ in this form of bod makes the attachment of lugs or protru ing portions, upon which some of the equipment is attached, a very simple matter, as these lugs or. extensions are made a part of the corner posts upon which the structure is built up.

In carrying this invention into effect I have shown a body having two seats although I do not confine myself to such or to any number of seats as will be obvious from the following description.

In the drawings: Figure 1, is a perspective of the frame, showing the corner posts in position and the hood frame. Fig. 2, is a cross section of the bar used in the main frame. Fig. 3, is a perspective of one of the seat panels. Fig. 4, is a perspective of one of the side panels. Fig.5, is a perspective of-vthe hood piece. Fig. 6, is a sectional perspective of one of the doors and part of the body adjacent thereto. Fig. 7, is a perspective of the door looking at the inside thereof, showing the bent-over portion of the pocket openings ready to recelve the upholstering. Fig. 8, is a perspective of the running board or step. Fig. 9, is a perspective of the assembled body before receiving the upholsterlng.

The body is built up by employing as a base, the main frame a which, as seen in cross section in Fig. 2, approximates a T- bar that is turned upon its side. This main frame is oblong in general shape and, of

course, its dimensions depend upon the particular style of the body that is intended to be built. A cross bar 0 connects the side portions of the main frame (Fig. 1). Bolted or riveted to the cross bar 0 and the stem portion of the T-bar are the corner osts b. These corner posts have a turned-1n lip at the bottom through which the bolts are passed, as will be seen in Fig. 1, at the curvatures of the main frame a. At the rear similar corner posts or brackets b are bolted through similar lips that are turned in at the bottom of the posts. These corner posts are preferably of pressed steel, but may be either cast or forged. The corner posts or brackets b, b, are preferably fashioned of such shape that they make a curved connection between the side and back panels so that such side and back panels can be made of a single curvature only, thereby avoiding unnecessary expense in their manu facture and of the corner posts also. It will be noted that these corner posts or brackets have projections or lugs 0 which may be used to fasten such members as p and q, shown in Fig. 9. Upon the bracket memhers p and 9 some of the equipment that may be desired for an automobile may be carried. The seat panels 3 and 9 may be fastened to the posts I), in any approved man neras shown in Fig. 9. The side panels 1 each cover preferably one complete side with preferably two door openings where a two seated body is desired (Fig. 4). Both the side panels and the seat i panels have the turned-in edge n for the top of the body and the turned-in edge m for the bottom of the body. The turned-in edge m is used to fasten the panels to the stem portion of the T- bar main frame a. The turned-in top edge 1: serves to finish off the top of the body and to provide means for attaching upholstering.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that a hood frame 0 may be fastened to the forward part of the main frame a. The exact manner of fastening is immaterial. ,It me. be riveted, bolted or otherwise fastene This supports the hood pieceh (Fig. 5;. The forward art of the main frame is pre erably curved upwardly at 8 so as to give a, pleasing curvature to thefront'of the body and to make room for the engine parts and to receive the usual cover, not shown, thew for. The bracing bars (1 cross the body from side panel to side panel and ma also be braced by the oblique bars shown in Fig. 9. These bars serve to support and hold the seats. It will be noted in Fig. 9 that a cross brace or rod 4; crosses the body at the bottom of the seat panel 3. This may be used as a foot rest.

Each of the door openings has a turned.

This furnishes a lapping r of increased strength by reason of the three-ply arrangement due to the doubling of the edges of the panel on the turned-out edge of the stifiening strip 15. The inside panel u of the door is set in place by bolts or rivets 10 which hold it to the turned-in edge of the stifiening strip 1?. However, before this is "placed, the leather cover V is clamped in between the inside panel a and the turnedin edge of the stifi'ening strip 2%. In making a pocket opening W, the edges are turned over the leather cover V as shown in Figs, 6 and 7. This completes the door proper and makes it, except upholstering, of a light all-metal construction. Slots 7 are left in the side panels (Fi t) and similar slots are left in the pane s of the door. Through these the hinge arms 5 of the hinges 6 pass and can be riveted or otherwise attached to the adjacent portions of the door and body, which constitute respectively a the stifiening strip t and the stifiening strip k (Fig. 6). An important advantage accruing from the method of constructing the door is that there is no joint between the panel and the lapping, whereby the paint or enamel may crack.

The step (see Fig. 8 instead of being "fixed by means of brac ets-to the chassis and. having separate valances to fill up the gap, is constructed of one piece. The strip of metal a: is iven a right-an lar bend Tso as to form t e valance and t e step or rg-board. This is strengthened by an gle irons y. The metal a: is bent around the end angle arms y, as shown in Fi 8. This step or running-board is fitted irectly to the main frame a of the body, thereby making it form art of the body. A steel strip 2 and an ange iron 2 may be used in con- ;i ction to hold the matting upon the step or runninghoard. v

ll have described my invention in connech'on with a two-seated body, but it will, of

course, be understood that it may be readily adapted for other types of bodies withmeager? out departing from the spirit of my invent-ion.

This construction of the body, whether of a single or two or more seated type, is espeeiall Y adapted to receive and carry detachab e upholstery such as described in my former patent of the United States No. 1,035,528, dated August 13, 1912, to which reference is hereby made. the manner and obviousness of such attachment is clear by reference thereto.

It is obvious that form, proportions and number of parts of this sectional or knock,

down body may be varied without departing from my invention.

What ll claim is 1. In a vehicle body, a sheet metal side panel provided with a door opening in which the metal is turned in at its edges, a stiffening strip lying behind and fastened to the turnedin metal of the side panel, said stifiening strip being beaded at its inside edge to protrude into the door opening beyond the turned-in edge of the side panel to form a door jamb, substantially as described.

2. In a vehicle body, a sheet metal side panel, having a door opening wherein the metal is turned over at the edge, a stifi'ening strip lying behind and fastened to the turned-over edge'of the side panel and having a turned-over edge that forms a bead and a wire inclosed within the bead to stifi'en the same, the said bead and wire protruding into the door opening and acting as a door jamb, substantially as described.

3. lln an automobile body, the combination of a base frame, comprising a vertical web and a flange extending interiorly and substantially horizontally therefrom, rounded metallic corner posts fastened to the base frame and sheet metal panels connecting adjacent corner posts and fastened thereto, said sheet metal panels being turned in at the bottom to provide a sill which may rest upon the base-frame flange and be fastened thereto, the said corner posts being exposed at the outside of the body and shaped to conform to the general lines of the exterior surface of the body, substantially as described.

4. An automobile body, having in combiat its ends to the corner posts, the said panel havin turned-in lower edges that rest upon the said frame and are secured thereto, side panels comprising single sheet metal members having one or more doorways and ill.

turned-in lower edges, the turned-in lowe'r edges being adapted to rest upon the flange of the base member and be secured thereto, each of said side panels reaching from the rear corner posts to the hood frame, and a hood of sheet metal adapted to fit over the hood frame and be secured thereto, the said corner posts having their convex faces exposed at the outside of the body and shaped to conform to the general lines of the exterior surface of the body, substantially as described.

5. In an automobile body, the combination of a, base frame, comprising a vertical Web and a flange extending interiorly and substantially horizontally therefrom, rounded metallic corner posts having lips at their bottoms which are fastened to the flange of the base frame, the said posts being located at the positions on the base frame where the rear corners of the seats are to be and said corner posts being round in shape to occupy the corner positions in the outside surface of the body, one or more seat panels of sheet metal having their ends secured to the corner posts and having their side edges turned 1n, the bottom edge of one panel turned in to rest upon the flange of the base frame and to be fastened thereto, and side panels secured to the said posts and having turned-in upper and lower edges, the lower edge resting upon the flange of the base frame and being secured thereto, the said side panels being provided with one or more door-openings having their edges turned in, substantlally as described.

In testimony whereof, I sign thls specification in the presence of two witnesses.

MAX ALVINUS BUCH. ,Vitnesses ERNEST HARPER, H. PRAGUE. 

